Foot positioner apparatus



Sept. 24, 1963 F. H. THROOP, JR 3,104,446

FOOT POSITIONER APPARATUS Filed July 11, 1960 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. FRANK H. THROOP, JR.

MA Wm A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,104,446 FQOT PQSITIONER APPARATUS Frank H. Tin-00p, .lr., 104 E St, Marshall, Minn. (560 Green Valley Road, Marshall, Minn.) Filed July 11, 1960, Ser. No. 41,968 2 Qlaims. (Cl. 27-21) The present invention relates to a new and novel foot positioner apparatus, and more particularly to the type of foot positioner apparatus which is especially useful in the funeral service field.

When preparing a dead body for funeral services, it is necessary for the embalmer to elevate the feet and legs of the body in carrying out certain of the embalming procedures. Such foot positioner apparatus must be of a construction which will hold the feet in an elevated position and separated a substantial distance from one another. Such elevation of the legs assists the embalmer in providing better circulation to the lower limbs of the dead body and further the apparatus holds the lower legs and feet away from any contaminating fluids and matter which may be on the preparation table while embalming.

In addition, such a positioner apparatus assists in dressing the body and is of great assistance in putting on shoes and stockings.

A particular feature of the invention is the provision of a construction whereby the apparatus is universal in nature in that it can accommodate lower limbs of widely varying sizes. This is accomplished by providing a construction wherein depending supporting portions of the body means of the device are formed of a tapered or substantialy V-shaped configuration. With this type of construction, appendages of varying sizes may be effectively supported by the device from the very largest to the very smallest. In addition, the construction is such that the appendages are positively held in position, and will not slip out of the supporting apparatus.

The foot positioner apparatus of the present invention is additionally of a very light-weight yet sturdy construction, thereby serving to effectively support the lower appendages of the body in operative position, and yet permitting ready portability of the apparatus from place to place and permitting it to be easily lifted when desired merely by grasping a central portion of the apparatus and lifting the entire apparatus as may occur when it is desired to dress the dead body.

A further important feature of the present invention is the provision of means for supporting a hose and clamping the hose in place relative to the supporting apparatus. Such hoses are generally employed for providing running water since a source of running water is necessary during embalming operations. It is quite desirable to have a readily accessible clamping means whereby the hose may be quickly and easily fitted into supported position, and yet which will permit the hose to be quickly removed from the clamping means when it is desired to use the hose. The clamping mechanism is of such a construction that it permits insertion and removal of the hose with a minimum of effort.

A support means is also provided for the body means of the apparatus which holds the body means in an elevated substantially vertical operative position relative to the supporting surface, the support means providing a firm and adequate base for supporting the appendages of a dead body. The supporting means also includes swivel feet having resilient tip means formed thereon such that the feet will not mar or damage the finish of a supporting surface.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a new and novel foot positioner apparatus which is adapted to support the feet of a dead human body in an elevated and separated position to assist in preparing and dressing the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot positioner apparatus which serves the aforegoing object and additionally is adapted to clampingly support in fixed position a hose such that it is readily available for use at all times.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a foot positioner apparatus which is particularly constructed so as to be adaptable for different size appendages such that it will hold appendages of different size in position and will positively hold the appendages within the supporting portions thereof so that the appendages will not slip out of the apparatus.

A still further object of the invention is to provide foot positioner apparatus which is quite simple, lightweight and inexpensive in construction, and yet which is sturdy and foolproof in operation.

Other objects and many attendant advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when considered in connection with the specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the foot positioner apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of the apparatus shown in FIG; 2.

Referringnow to the drawings, the body means is indicated generally by reference numeral 10 and includes a pair of depending leg portions 11 and 12 disposed at the opposite ends thereof, the lower ends of legs 11 and 12 extending normally therefrom to form flanges 13 and '14 respectively.

- Support members in the form of elongated bars 15 and 16 are provided, the flanges 13 and 14 being secured to the central portions of support members 15 and 16 respectively by similarnut and bolt assemblies '20.

A pair of integral swivel feet 21 are connected to each of support members 15 and 16 adjacent the opposite ends thereof, these swivel feet being. held in position by means of nut and bolt assemblies indicated by reference numerals 22. It will be understood that the feet .21 are adapted to swivel with respect to support members 15 and 16. These swivel feet 21 can swivel independently of one another so asto permit free move ment of the body meansin all directions as will be well understood.

The swivel feet are each provided with rubber tips at the lower ends thereof which prevent marring or damage of a supporting surface.

At the upper ends of each of the leg portions 11 and 12 of the body means, the body means extends inwardly to provide portions 30 and 31 whereupon the body means is so configured as to provide two supporting portions 35 and 36 which are adapted to receive the lower appendages of a dead human body.

Each of these supporting portions 35 and 36 tapers in a downwardly extending direction so as to be of a substantially V-shaped configuration. Supporting portion 35 includes depending side wall portions 35 and 35 which taper downwardly toward one another and are joined by a portion 37 at the lower ends thereof. In a similar manner the supporting portion 36 is defined by downwardly extending wall portions 36' and 36 which taper downwardly toward one another and are joined at the lower ends thereof by a portion 38.

The advantages of this particular type of supporting e i I 3,104,446

structure are that due to the tapered configuration thereof, appendages of varying size may readily be received therein, and regardless of the particular size of the appendage, the appendage can be somewhat wedged by its own weight between the tapering surfaces of the corre- I prises an integral piece of resilient material such as spring steel having the novel configuration shown. The lower central portion 51 of the clamping means is'fiattened and is received at the upper surface of intermediate por-v tion 40. This portion of the clamping means is held to the intermediate portion of the body means by means of nut and bolt assembly 52. The clamping means also includes upstanding arcuate portions 53 and 54 which in turn are bent over to form the-downwardly depending oppositely facing end portions 55 and 56. These end portions 55 and 56 are adapted to receive a hose therebetween whereby the inherent resilience of the clamping means will cause the two end portions to be urged toward one another and to clamp the hose tightly therebetween.

It will be understood that all of the components of the present invention may be formed of a very light-weight construction, and preferably the body means as Well as the support means is tor-med of aluminum or a similar material. Furthermore, it is apparent that clamp means 50 may be formed of various materials as long as they are of an inherently resilient nature.

It is apparent drom the fioregoing that there is provided a'new and novel foot positioner apparatus which is adapted to support in elevated and spaced position the feet of a dead human body to assist in preparation of the body during embalming operations and While dressing the body. The tapered supporting portions of the body means provide a means which is adapted to receive appendages of varying size and to positively wedge and hold such appendages in operative position to prevent them from slipping out of the apparatus. Means is also provided for positively clamping and holding in place a hose such that it is readily accessible at all times. The construction of theapparatus according to the present invention is quite'simple, light-weight and inexpensive and yet the device is quite sturdy and fool-proof in operation.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing tromthe spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changes that fall the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.-

I claim:

1. A foot support and positioner device for use by embalmers while ernbalming and dressing human bodies comprising a light-weight integral body means, support means for supporting the body means in elevated position above a supporting surface, said integral body means- 1 having a pair of spaced depending portions of substantially V-shaped configuration for receiving the appendages of a dead human body, said support means including a support member disposed adjacent each end portion of said body means, each of said support members having a'plurality of swivel feet attached thereto, and said swivel feet having resilient tip portions received thereon for preventing damage to the supporting sunface.

2. A foot support and positioner device for use by embalmers while embalming and dressing human bodies comprising, a lightweight "body means formed of an elongated integral piece of rigid material, said body means including at the opposite ends thereof a pair of depending 7 leg portions the lower ends of which define laterally extending flanges, a pair of elongated support members each of which is connected at its central portion to one of said flanges with the support members extending forwardly and rearwardly of said body means to provide a stable support therefor, support means adjacent the op posite ends of each of said support member for resting on a supporting surface, said support, means being swiveled on said support members for swivel movement, said body means extending inwardly from the upper end of each of said leg portions and defining a pair of depending supporting portions connected by an integral intermediate port-ion, each of said supporting portions being of substantially V-shaped configuration and opening upwardly and including depending side wall portions which taper downwardly toward one another and are joined by a lower portion spaced a substantial distance above said support members for supporting appendages of a human body in an elevated position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES 7 White Designs a New Foot Elevator}? In Casket & Sunnyside: page 44, August 1954. 

1. A FOOT SUPPORT AND POSITIONER DEVICE FOR USE BY EMBALMERS WHILE EMBALMING AND DRESSING HUMAN BODIES COMPRISING A LIGHT-WEIGHT INTEGRAL BODY MEANS, SUPPORT MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY MEANS IN ELEVATED POSITION ABOVE A SUPPORTING SURFACE, SAID INTEGRAL BODY MEANS HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED DEPENDING PORTIONS OF SUBSTANTIALLY V-SHAPED CONFIGURATION FOR RECEIVING THE APPENDAGES OF A DEAD HUMAN BODY, SAID SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING A SUPPORT MEMBER DISPOSED ADJACENT EACH END PORTION OF SAID BODY MEANS, EACH OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS HAVING A PLURALITY OF SWIVEL FEET ATTACHED THERETO, AND SAID SWIVEL FEET HAVING RESILIENT TIP PORTIONS RECEIVED THEREON FOR PREVENTING DAMAGE TO THE SUPPORTING SURFACE. 